Popcorn Chicken
These bite-size pieces of juicy chicken are sheathed in a savory, flaky breading that crisps to perfection in the air fryer. Served with dips like ketchup, ranch, and barbecue sauce, this popcorn chicken is guaranteed to delight your family and friends. No air fryer? No problem – use your oven and achieve the same results.
This recipe was written for the Arizona Republic.
What is popcorn chicken?
The original popcorn chicken hails from Taiwan and the popular street food, called yán sū jī (salt, crispy, chicken) first appeared in the 1970s. The Asian version featured small pieces of soy-marinated chicken that were breaded with potato and tapioca starch, double fried to ensure crispiness, and seasoned with Chinese five spice and white pepper.
In the 1990s, the signature Taiwanese night market snack was introduced to America by way of Kentucky Fried Chicken. Since American palates can be finicky (especially when it comes to highly spiced food), the U.S. version of popcorn chicken was lightly seasoned with aromatics like onion and garlic and, instead of tuber starch, the chicken was breaded with some form of wheat flour before frying. The term popcorn evolved because the chicken pieces are small enough to eat like popcorn. This recipe is a healthy recreation of the deep fried, American-style popcorn chicken, and it’s bound to become a favorite in your home.
Popcorn chicken made healthy
Traditional popcorn chicken – both Taiwanese and American – is deep fried in oil. That’s fine in moderation, but if you want to enjoy popcorn chicken regularly (which you will after tasting this chicken), switching to the air fryer or oven is the way to go. I promise you, there’s no need to deep-fry chicken when you can achieve the same golden brown, crispy breading in the air fryer and oven. Even better news? There’s no difficult culinary technique or obscure kitchen hack needed to accomplish these results.
Ingredients needed for popcorn chicken
- Chicken. You’ll need about 1 ¼ pounds of boneless, skinless chicken for this recipe. I prefer chicken breasts, but chicken tenders and chicken thighs are also acceptable.
- Flour. All-purpose flour is used to coat the chicken in the first breading step. The flour helps the egg stick to each piece which, in turn, helps the panko mixture stick.
- Egg. One egg mixed with water is used to coat the chicken pieces after the flour-coating step. This ensures the panko breadcrumbs stick.
- Panko. Panko breadcrumbs are crustless, Japanese style breadcrumbs made from white bread. They are light and airy and resemble shards more than finely ground crumbs. I prefer panko to regular breadcrumbs here because the breading cooks up flaky and crisp in both the air fryer and the oven.
- Olive oil. Olive oil is used to toast the breadcrumbs before coating the chicken. This simple step not only adds toasty flavor to the breadcrumbs, but it also creates chicken that tastes deep-fried.
- Seasonings. A few pantry staples are used to season the breading for the chicken – garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper. That’s all you need for chicken that tastes like it came from KFC.
- Dipping sauces. There are many different dipping sauces you can enjoy with your popcorn chicken, including ketchup, ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, barbecue sauce, honey mustard, and warm marinara sauce.
Tips for popcorn chicken
- Toast the panko breadcrumbs. Pre-cooking the panko in a little olive oil ensures that the breadcrumbs are nicely toasted. This quick-and-easy step adds an extra layer of flavor and gives the chicken a “fried food vibe” without the excess oil.
- Press the coating in. The panko breadcrumb coating is light, so it helps if you gently press the mixture into the chicken pieces while coating them.
- Shake the basket or flip the chicken halfway through cooking. To guarantee that the chicken pieces are golden brown on both sides, shake the basket or flip the chicken with tongs about halfway through cooking (as directed below).
- Watch the clock. These small pieces of chicken don’t take long to cook in both the air fryer and oven. Start with the shorter cooking times below and increase them as needed after flipping the chicken.
How to serve popcorn chicken
- Appetizer and party fare. Popcorn chicken is a fan-favorite, so consider this recipe for your next party. It’s welcome at any neighborhood potluck, cocktail party, or game day gathering.
- Salad topper. Serve the chicken pieces over fresh mixed greens and top with ranch, French, Russian, Italian, or Caesar dressing.
- Sandwich and wrap. Use the chicken to make sandwiches, subs, and wraps. Add cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mayonnaise for a delicious hand-held treat.
- Kebobs. Skewer alternating pieces of cooked popcorn chicken with vegetables and serve with your favorite dipping sauces, including barbecue, teriyaki, and/or peanut sauce. Excellent vegetable choices include cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers, and red onion. For Caprese kebobs, skewer the chicken with mozzarella cheese, cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil leaves and serve with balsamic glaze.
- Breakfast for dinner. Serve cooked popcorn chicken over freshly made waffles, add gravy or maple syrup, and enjoy the ultimate chicken and waffles.
How to prep this popcorn chicken in advance
This popcorn chicken can be prepped before cooking, making it ideal for busy nights and upcoming parties. To prep ahead, bread the chicken as directed and transfer one single layer (not stacked) to an airtight container. Place a piece of parchment paper over top and arrange a second single layer of chicken on top. Continue with single layers until all chicken pieces are in the container. Seal the lid and refrigerate up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before cooking. When ready to serve, cook as directed, either in the air fryer or the oven.
How to store and reheat leftovers
Once cool, transfer the chicken to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
To reheat leftovers in the air fryer, place the chicken pieces in the air fryer basket, in a single layer, and reheat at 350 degrees F for 4 to 6 minutes, until hot all the way through.
To reheat leftovers in the oven, spread the chicken pieces out on a parchment-lined (or lightly greased) baking sheet, in a single layer, and reheat in a preheated 350-degree F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until hot all the way through.
Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 ¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or chicken tenders, or chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- Olive oil spray
- Dipping sauces for serving, such as ketchup, ranch dressing, barbecue sauce, honey mustard, and marinara sauce
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the panko breadcrumbs and cook for 2 to 4 minutes, until lightly golden, stirring frequently.
- Remove the pan from the heat, add the garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper and mix to combine.
- Transfer the breadcrumbs to a plate.
- Season the chicken pieces all over with salt and pepper.
- Place the flour on a plate and season with ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Place the egg in a shallow bowl, add 1 tablespoon of water and whisk to combine.
- Working with about 8 to 10 pieces of chicken at a time, add the chicken to flour and toss to coat.
- Shake off excess flour and transfer the chicken to the egg.
- Shake off excess egg and transfer the chicken to the panko mixture.
- Turn to coat all sides, pressing the crumbs into the chicken to ensure they adhere.
- Repeat until all chicken has been coated with flour, egg, and breadcrumbs.
To Cook in the Air Fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees F.
- Spray the air fryer basket with olive oil spray.
- Add about half of the chicken to the basket, leaving space between each piece (space ensures the edges get crisp).
- Lightly spray the chicken with olive oil spray.
- Air fry for 5 minutes.
- Shake the basket (if you have a tray-style air fryer, flip the chicken with tongs).
- Cook for 3 to 5 more minutes, until the chicken is golden, crispy, and cooked through.
- Serve hot with desired dipping sauces.
To Bake in the Oven
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Arrange the chicken on the prepared pan, in a single layer with space between each piece (space ensures the edges get crisp).
- Lightly spray the chicken with olive oil spray.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Flip and bake for 8 more minutes, until the chicken is golden, crispy, and cooked through.
- Serve hot with desired dipping sauces.